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1"He will be here before long now," said Van Helsing, who had been consulting his pocket-book. "Nota bene, in Madam's
2telegram he went south from Carfax, that means he went to cross the river, and he could only do so at slack of tide,
3which should be something before one o'clock. That he went south has a meaning for us. He is as yet only suspicious; and
4he went from Carfax first to the place where he would suspect interference least. You must have been at Bermondsey only
5a short time before him. That he is not here already shows that he went to Mile End next. This took him some time; for
6he would then have to be carried over the river in some way. Believe me, my friends, we shall not have long to wait now.
7We should have ready some plan of attack, so that we may throw away no chance. Hush, there is no time now. Have all your
8arms! Be ready!" He held up a warning hand as he spoke, for we all could hear a key softly inserted in the lock of the
9hall door. I could not but admire, even at such a moment, the way in which a dominant spirit asserted itself. In all our
10hunting parties and adventures in different parts of the world, Quincey Morris had always been the one to arrange the
11plan of action, and Arthur and I had been accustomed to obey him implicitly. Now, the old habit seemed to be renewed
12instinctively. With a swift glance around the room, he at once laid out our plan of attack, and, without speaking a
13word, with a gesture, placed us each in position. Van Helsing, Harker, and I were just behind the door, so that when it
14was opened the Professor could guard it whilst we two stepped between the incomer and the door. Godalming behind and
15Quincey in front stood just out of sight ready to move in front of the window. We waited in a suspense that made the
16seconds pass with nightmare slowness. The slow, careful steps came along the hall; the Count was evidently prepared for
17some surprise--at least he feared it. Suddenly with a single bound he leaped into the room, winning a way past us before
18any of us could raise a hand to stay him. There was something so panther-like in the movement--something so unhuman,
19that it seemed to sober us all from the shock of his coming. The first to act was Harker, who, with a quick movement,
20threw himself before the door leading into the room in the front of the house. As the Count saw us, a horrible sort of
21snarl passed over his face, showing the eye-teeth long and pointed; but the evil smile as quickly passed into a cold
22stare of lion-like disdain. His expression again changed as, with a single impulse, we all advanced upon him. It was a
23pity that we had not some better organised plan of attack, for even at the moment I wondered what we were to do. I did
24not myself know whether our lethal weapons would avail us anything. Harker evidently meant to try the matter, for he had
25ready his great Kukri knife and made a fierce and sudden cut at him. The blow was a powerful one; only the diabolical
26quickness of the Count's leap back saved him. A second less and the trenchant blade had shorne through his heart. As it
27was, the point just cut the cloth of his coat, making a wide gap whence a bundle of bank-notes and a stream of gold fell
28out. The expression of the Count's face was so hellish, that for a moment I feared for Harker, though I saw him throw
29the terrible knife aloft again for another stroke. Instinctively I moved forward with a protective impulse, holding the
30Crucifix and Wafer in my left hand. I felt a mighty power fly along my arm; and it was without surprise that I saw the
31monster cower back before a similar movement made spontaneously by each one of us. It would be impossible to describe
32the expression of hate and baffled malignity--of anger and hellish rage--which came over the Count's face. His waxen hue
33became greenish-yellow by the contrast of his burning eyes, and the red scar on the forehead showed on the pallid skin
34like a palpitating wound. The next instant, with a sinuous dive he swept under Harker's arm, ere his blow could fall,
35and, grasping a handful of the money from the floor, dashed across the room, threw himself at the window. Amid the crash
36and glitter of the falling glass, he tumbled into the flagged area below. Through the sound of the shivering glass I
37could hear the "ting" of the gold, as some of the sovereigns fell on the flagging. We ran over and saw him spring unhurt
38from the ground. He, rushing up the steps, crossed the flagged yard, and pushed open the stable door. There he turned
39and spoke to us:-- "You think to baffle me, you--with your pale faces all in a row, like sheep in a butcher's. You shall
40be sorry yet, each one of you! You think you have left me without a place to rest; but I have more. My revenge is just
41begun! I spread it over centuries, and time is on my side. Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through
42them you and others shall yet be mine--my creatures, to do my bidding and to be my jackals when I want to feed. Bah!"
43With a contemptuous sneer, he passed quickly through the door, and we heard the rusty bolt creak as he fastened it
44behind him. A door beyond opened and shut. The first of us to speak was the Professor, as, realising the difficulty of
45following him through the stable, we moved toward the hall. "We have learnt something--much! Notwithstanding his brave
46words, he fears us; he fear time, he fear want! For if not, why he hurry so? His very tone betray him, or my ears
47deceive. Why take that money? You follow quick. You are hunters of wild beast, and understand it so. For me, I make sure
48that nothing here may be of use to him, if so that he return." As he spoke he put the money remaining into his pocket;
49took the title-deeds in the bundle as Harker had left them, and swept the remaining things into the open fireplace,
50where he set fire to them with a match. Godalming and Morris had rushed out into the yard, and Harker had lowered
51himself from the window to follow the Count. He had, however, bolted the stable door; and by the time they had forced it
52open there was no sign of him. Van Helsing and I tried to make inquiry at the back of the house; but the mews was
53deserted and no one had seen him depart. It was now late in the afternoon, and sunset was not far off. We had to
54recognise that our game was up; with heavy hearts we agreed with the Professor when he said:-- "Let us go back to Madam
55Mina--poor, poor dear Madam Mina. All we can do just now is done; and we can there, at least, protect her. But we need
56not despair. There is but one more earth-box, and we must try to find it; when that is done all may yet be well." I
57could see that he spoke as bravely as he could to comfort Harker. The poor fellow was quite broken down; now and again
58he gave a low groan which he could not suppress--he was thinking of his wife. With sad hearts we came back to my house,
59where we found Mrs. Harker waiting us, with an appearance of cheerfulness which did honour to her bravery and
60unselfishness. When she saw our faces, her own became as pale as death: for a second or two her eyes were closed as if
61she were in secret prayer; and then she said cheerfully:-- "I can never thank you all enough. Oh, my poor darling!" As
62she spoke, she took her husband's grey head in her hands and kissed it--"Lay your poor head here and rest it. All will
63yet be well, dear! God will protect us if He so will it in His good intent." The poor fellow groaned. There was no place
64for words in his sublime misery.
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